-
Home
- TV Shows
- TV Schedule
- NASCAR
-
Formula 1
- Auto Racing
- Moto Racing
- Cars
- Bikes
- Store
- Social
- Games
- Mobile
- Deals
- Videos
- Photos
- Home
- TV Shows
-
TV Schedule
-
SPEED Showcase
-
- NASCAR
- Formula 1
- Auto Racing
- Moto Racing
- Cars
- Bikes
- Store
- Social
- Mobile
- Deals
- Videos
- Photos
IndyCar
LE MANS: HVM Set For WEC LMP2 Program
SPEED.com Exclusive: IndyCar squad to expand into FIA World Endurance Championship for 2013...
HVM Racing team owner Keith Wiggins confirmed to SPEED.com they will move into the FIA WEC next year with a LMP2 contender. (Photo: Marshall Pruett)
Following in the footsteps of Starworks Motorsport, which took home the LMP2 World Championship, another American team will be throwing its hat into the FIA World Endurance Championship in 2013.
SPEED.com has learned that veteran IndyCar squad HVM Racing will expand into the sports car ranks next year, fielding a to-be-determined prototype in the highly competitive LMP2 category. Additionally, an American Le Mans Series Prototype Challenge effort is also under evaluation.
After a challenging season in IndyCar, which saw the Indianapolis-based team end up being the only full-season Lotus-powered entry, HVM turned its immediate attention to sports car racing, a discipline that team owner Keith Wiggins had been exploring for the last few years.
"We had been interested in it," Wiggins told SPEED.com. "To be honest, the instability of IndyCar and having all your eggs in one basket is always a risk, unless you can turn yourself into a multi-car team. The reality is that you're so busy trying to keep things going that it's hard to focus.
"We didn't really put enough focus on the sports car program. We talked about it but didn't aggressively push it. Where that focus has changed now. The Indy program is well set up for the opportunity to do it. We're going to focus on this for the next month."
Wiggins said plans are being put into place for a single-car LMP2 effort in the WEC, a series which has seen considerable growth since its formation at the beginning of the year, notably in the cost-capped prototype ranks. The class has seen an average of 12 entries in 2012, with more expected for next year.
A dual-season attack in the ALMS PC category is also being considered but will be dependent on drivers, in what will be the transitional year prior to the 2014 unification of the two American sports car championships.
"We are interested in the ALMS and doing something in that, but there are still a lot of things with the rules [for 2014] to be sorted out," Wiggins said. "Now wouldn't be a time to be barreling in there with a whole bunch of equipment in a category you're not sure what will look like in a year's time.
"The WEC is obviously going to grow and it's fairly defined. From a marketing and sponsorship standpoint, it's on a world stage, which is good. But we very much want to keep our relationship and links with the ALMS as well and keep an eye on that as well... I think you have to hedge your bets a little bit."
Wiggins said he's currently in discussions with drivers for the LMP2 effort, which embraces a Pro-Am class format of at least one FIA Bronze or Silver-graded pilot for each car.
As far as the car choice goes, the team is evaluating all options, including offerings from Lola, which Wiggins, a former President of Lola Cars International, still has close ties to.
"It's interesting because of my past history with Lola," he said. "If you look at what's being done, some of the rights have been bought and the cars are going to be produced again. It has a link over here and I have relationships as well. You look at the car and you saw that it was on pole at the last WEC race. Clearly it's still a good car.
"You look at ORECA and Hugues de Chaunac has been a longtime friend of mine. If you do PC and LMP2, there's commonality and would be an attractive package. Then, obviously there's the HPD, which is a strong and very popular choice.
"We have them all on a big spreadsheet and have spoke to them all. Qualified driver input is also important. We have our fingers on all car options and are literally still in that process of deciding. I think we're honing in on it and won't say what that decision would be just yet, because it could change."
HVM will become the third confirmed U.S.-based LMP2 team set to take on the WEC next year, joining reigning champions Starworks and the newly formed organization by Enzo Potolicchio, which will be based out of Pompano Beach, Fla.
Wiggins said further meetings are planned over the next two weeks, with the team's 2013 plans to be formally announced soon after.
John Dagys is SPEED.com’s Sportscar Racing Reporter, focusing on all major domestic and international championships. You can follow him on Twitter @johndagys or email him at
SPEED.com has learned that veteran IndyCar squad HVM Racing will expand into the sports car ranks next year, fielding a to-be-determined prototype in the highly competitive LMP2 category. Additionally, an American Le Mans Series Prototype Challenge effort is also under evaluation.
After a challenging season in IndyCar, which saw the Indianapolis-based team end up being the only full-season Lotus-powered entry, HVM turned its immediate attention to sports car racing, a discipline that team owner Keith Wiggins had been exploring for the last few years.
"We had been interested in it," Wiggins told SPEED.com. "To be honest, the instability of IndyCar and having all your eggs in one basket is always a risk, unless you can turn yourself into a multi-car team. The reality is that you're so busy trying to keep things going that it's hard to focus.
"We didn't really put enough focus on the sports car program. We talked about it but didn't aggressively push it. Where that focus has changed now. The Indy program is well set up for the opportunity to do it. We're going to focus on this for the next month."
Wiggins said plans are being put into place for a single-car LMP2 effort in the WEC, a series which has seen considerable growth since its formation at the beginning of the year, notably in the cost-capped prototype ranks. The class has seen an average of 12 entries in 2012, with more expected for next year.
A dual-season attack in the ALMS PC category is also being considered but will be dependent on drivers, in what will be the transitional year prior to the 2014 unification of the two American sports car championships.
"We are interested in the ALMS and doing something in that, but there are still a lot of things with the rules [for 2014] to be sorted out," Wiggins said. "Now wouldn't be a time to be barreling in there with a whole bunch of equipment in a category you're not sure what will look like in a year's time.
"The WEC is obviously going to grow and it's fairly defined. From a marketing and sponsorship standpoint, it's on a world stage, which is good. But we very much want to keep our relationship and links with the ALMS as well and keep an eye on that as well... I think you have to hedge your bets a little bit."
Wiggins said he's currently in discussions with drivers for the LMP2 effort, which embraces a Pro-Am class format of at least one FIA Bronze or Silver-graded pilot for each car.
As far as the car choice goes, the team is evaluating all options, including offerings from Lola, which Wiggins, a former President of Lola Cars International, still has close ties to.
"It's interesting because of my past history with Lola," he said. "If you look at what's being done, some of the rights have been bought and the cars are going to be produced again. It has a link over here and I have relationships as well. You look at the car and you saw that it was on pole at the last WEC race. Clearly it's still a good car.
"You look at ORECA and Hugues de Chaunac has been a longtime friend of mine. If you do PC and LMP2, there's commonality and would be an attractive package. Then, obviously there's the HPD, which is a strong and very popular choice.
"We have them all on a big spreadsheet and have spoke to them all. Qualified driver input is also important. We have our fingers on all car options and are literally still in that process of deciding. I think we're honing in on it and won't say what that decision would be just yet, because it could change."
HVM will become the third confirmed U.S.-based LMP2 team set to take on the WEC next year, joining reigning champions Starworks and the newly formed organization by Enzo Potolicchio, which will be based out of Pompano Beach, Fla.
Wiggins said further meetings are planned over the next two weeks, with the team's 2013 plans to be formally announced soon after.
John Dagys is SPEED.com’s Sportscar Racing Reporter, focusing on all major domestic and international championships. You can follow him on Twitter @johndagys or email him at
INDYCAR BRAZIL
LATEST HEADLINES: AUTO-RACING
-
MILLER: Carpenter's Simply A Great Story
Regardless of what his detractors might say, Ed Carpenter's mighty… -
V8: Whincup Dominates Austin 400
Red Bull Racing Driver wins three of the four 100km sprints in V8… -
INDYCAR: Newgarden Fastest Sunday Indy 500 Qualifier, Legge Completes…
Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing's Josef Newgarden led Sunday's final… -
V8: Red Bull's Whincup On A Roll At COTA
Jamie Whincup takes pole for V8 Supercar Races 15 and 16, Live! on… -
V8: Nissan Coming To Grips With New Altima
John Dagys explores Nissan's new factory venture in V8 Supercars… -
GT: O'Connell, Aschenbach Win Saturday's WC GT, GTS Races At COTA…
Johnny O’Connell led all the way to win Saturday’s Pirelli… -
V8: COTA Saturday Notebook
John Dagys explores some of the storylines from Saturday’s… - More News
